He walked into the restaurant, momentarily rendered sightless by the change to the low lighting inside from the gleaming bright outside.
She was there. He was sure she was.
He knew she was seeing him. Standing there trying to find her with his slowly adjusting eyes and trying not to run into any of the small tables that are littered about the room in the wholly haphazard way that can only be achieved by customers grouping and ungrouping tables and chairs at will.
Finally he saw her, three tables away as the crow flies, but a two minute obstacle course for the someone lacking wings and the confidence to excuse himself as he pushes and bumps seated strangers.
She watched him intently as he made his way unnoticed to the empty seat across from her.
They were alone, granted the obscurity that comes of sitting in the center of the room where no one looks for fear of making eye contact with someone across the restaurant that might change their lives.
They used their sanctuary well. First in silence, touching hands, rediscovering the feel of each other's palms and the depth of each other's eyes. Then in quiet, rapid discussion.
They left together. Holding hands, she lead a direct path to the door, leaving the job of apologizing to him.
Outside he was blinded again, but she strode on impervious to the light, or maybe just unconcerned for the other pedestrians.
When she stopped, they had traveled 7 blocks, never speaking a word, never letting go, never stopping to look both ways.
She turned, he dodged, and her lips landed on his cheek. His mind swam. He had known it was coming, but like always his instinctual drive to avoid human contact had taken over and ruined the moment.
He moved to return her kiss but she was already walking again and was soon dragging him through the park.
She led him to The Half Tree. She jumped for the first branch, barely letting go of his hand as she launched herself off of the big root. It didn't take long to reach the top and to sit on the trunk looking down at him.
The top of The Half Tree had once been the middle of The Whole Tree, although it was probably not called that then. The top had been lost to a windstorm some time ago, and The Half Tree had apparently decided that it was tall enough. Instead of sending other branches skyward to compensate for the loss had instead remained flat on top and had devoted its energies to growing stronger, thicker branches and trunk to avoid losing anymore of its self.
Usually she sat on top of the tree while he sat at the bottom, but today he decided was different. He leaped into the air and struggled his way onto the first branch, then the second, and on until he reached her spot at the top.